New Sweden

New Sweden was a Swedish colony that existed from 1638 to 1655. The colony was located along the lower reaches of the Delaware River in North America, consisting of settlements in the present-day US states of Delaware, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Fort Christina (now Wilmington, Delaware) served as the capital of New Sweden, and the Swedes established a few scattered forts and settlements in the region. When the Second Northern War broke out in 1655, the United Provinces sent a squadron of ships under Peter Stuyvesant to seize New Sweden, and Fort Trinity and Fort Christina easily fell that summer. On 15 September 1655, New Sweden was incorporated into New Netherland, and the Swedes and Finns were allowed to retain their own militia, religion, court, and lands under Dutch rule.